Exhibitions On View

Calendar of Events — February 2014

All programs are free for JANM members and included with admission for non-members, unless otherwise noted. Events are subject to change.

Reservations are recommended for most programs; you may use the links below. You may also RSVP by emailing rsvp@janm.org or calling 213.625.0414 at least 48 hours in advance. Please indicate the name, date, and time of the program, as well as your name and the number of people in your party. (RSVPs are not accepted for Family Festivals).

For all ticketed events (classes, workshops, food tours, etc.), pre-payment is required to hold your space. Cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance or no refund will be issued.

Private Tours of Collections

By appointment only, all month long

Upper Level President’s & Chairman’s Circle Members are invited to experience a behind-the-scenes tour of the world’s largest collection of Japanese American artifacts. Your on-going support helps maintain this unique collection that chronicles over 130 years of Japanese American history.

Contact Charlien Church at cchurch@janm.org or 213.830.5676 to reserve a personalized tour for you and 5 guests.

Indigo Dyed and Boro Stitched Shibori with Shibori Girl

This two-day workshop explores recycling vintage Japanese boro (tattered) textiles through indigo ombre dying techniques to create new scarves. Feel free to bring your own natural and lightweight fabric bits to use and share.

Yokohama Yankee: My Family's Five Generations as Outsiders in Japan by Leslie Helm

Leslie Helm’s decision to adopt Japanese children launches him on a personal journey through his family’s 140 years in Japan, beginning with his German great-grandfather, who worked as a military adviser in 1870 and defied custom to marry his Japanese mistress. The family’s poignant experiences of love and war help Helm learn to embrace his Japanese and American heritage.

Yokohama Yankee is the first book to look at Japan across five generations both from the inside and through foreign eyes. Helm draws extensively on primary source material including his great grandfather’s unpublished memoir to bring his family history to life. The book also contains a wealth of photographs, maps, illustrations, postcards and ephemera from the late 19th century to the present day.

Helm will speak about his family’s experiences as mixed-race Japanese and Americans living on both sides of the Pacific across a turbulent century and a half of conflict and cooperation.

akaDAN Documentary World Premiere + Stuntman Album Release Party

During the summer of 2013, Los Angeles-based musician and Korean adoptee DANakaDAN (Dan Matthews) was reunited with his biological family in Korea, including an identical twin brother he never knew existed.

Join Dan and his production team as they celebrate the red carpet premiere of the documentary series centering around these events. The documentary will be followed by a Q+A conducted by Phil Yu (Angry Asian Man) with cast and filmmakers (Eugene Choi, Jason Hwang, Jon Maxwell, Sean Yo, Andy Yip, Ray Huang).

Afterwards, we invite you to join us for a reception/concert to celebrate the release of the companion full length album by DANakaDAN, featuring performances by CREW LOVE (DANakaDAN, Priska, Chucky Kim, Sam Kang, Abraham Kim), PAUL DATEH, and TRAVIS GRAHAM. The evening will be hosted by AMY OKUDA + KI HONG LEE, and will also include some very special guest performances and appearances.

RSVP early.

Purchase tickets here >>
Japanese American National Museum members please use coupon code ‘JANM35’ for 35% off.
DISCOUNT IS VALID ONLY FOR MEMBERS. VALID MEMBERSHIP CARD MUST BE PRESENTED AT CHECK-IN TABLE PER DISCOUNTED TICKET. DISCOUNT IS NON-TRANSFERABLE. Contact memberevents@janm.org if you need a new JANM Member Card printed.

In the Middle of the Future: Tom Plate on Asia

Journalist Tom Plate discusses his most recent publication—an anthology of his columns providing a compelling portrait of the dynamic political and economic rise of Asia in the last two decades. Presented in partnership with The Los Angeles World Affairs Council.

$10 JANM and LAWAC members; $15 non-members. RSVP to reservations@LAWAC.org or 424.258.6160.
Or order tickets here.

•11:15am/12:15pm/1:15pm/2:15pm: Learn basic and intermediate skills of how to play the ukulele with Brian Benevente of KoAloha Ukulele and other KoAloha artist partners. (Please bring own ukulele. Limited space so arrive early!)

•11:30am/12:45pm/1:45pm: For the little ones, enjoy these strum-along and sing-along workshops with George "Gibi" del Barrio as “Abba Geebz” (Grandpa Geebz). (Please bring own ukulele. Limited space so arrive early!)

•11:30am: Enjoy a screening of the award-winning documentary, My KoAloha Story, a story of the Okami Ohana, and how a tiny ukulele has the power to change lives and
bring people closer together. Q&A with the KoAloha Ukulele team and filmmakers to follow screening.

•1:30pm: Enjoy a screening of the multiple award-winning film, The Haumana, about the journey of a charismatic host of a struggling Waikiki Polynesian lū`au show who tries to make his way back to his hula roots. Film score by KoAloha Ukulele’s artist partner, George “Gibi” del Barrio. Q&A with composer and producer to follow screening.

•2pm: In June 2013, cartoonist Vishavjit Singh dressed up as Sikh Captain America and was photographed around New York City. He will share the reactions—both positive and negative—that he received on his adventure, followed by a cartoon workshop. In conjunction with the Marvels and Monsters exhibition.

All Day Activities:
•Make a candy lei for someone sweet!
•Send an aloha to someone special by making a valentine with a bit of a Hawaiian touch.
•Ruthie's Origami Corner: Make a festive Hawaiian canoe.
•Anacapa Ukulele will be on-site selling ukuleles!

Generously sponsored by Target, these special Saturdays are filled with fun activities giving families unique ways to learn, play, and grow together.

The Adventures of Sikh Captain America

FREE!

In June 2013, cartoonist Vishavjit Singh dressed up as Sikh Captain America and was photographed around New York City. He will share the reactions—both positive and negative—that he received on his adventure, followed by a cartoon workshop.

Anti-Asian Bias in Academia, Is it a Problem?

Please Join Community Advocates, Inc. and 89.3 KPCC at a Live Taping of the Award-Winning
"AirTalk With Larry Mantle: Are Quotas Back? Anti-Asian Bias in Higher Education, Is it Real?"

Studies suggest that Asian students at highly selective universities have mean SAT scores considerably higher than their white and black classmates yet are rejected at a disproportionate rate given their credentials. The Ivies have enrolled, on average, 16.5% Asian students between 1995 and 2011 while the underlying population of Asian students in the US has more than doubled in that period. Is there a benign explanation for these numbers? Rumors of discriminatory quotas abound---what's really happening?

PANELISTS:

Prof. Richard H. Sander (UCLA School of Law)
Richard Sander has taught at UCLA Law School since 1989. He has studied affirmative action and its impact since 2004 and is the author (along with Stuart Taylor, Jr.) of the recent book, Mismatch: How Affirmative Action Hurts Students It's Intended to Help, and Why Universities Won't Admit It. He recently won a significant case before the California Supreme Court involving law school admissions.

Prof. Nancy Leong (Sturm College of Law, University of Denver)
Professor Leong graduated magna cum laude from Northwestern University before attending Stanford Law School, where she graduated with distinction and was a member of the Stanford Law Review. Her scholarship and teaching interests include constitutional rights and remedies. She recently published an extensive article in the Harvard Law Review on the topic of Racial Capitalism. In the fall of 2013 she was a visiting professor at the School of Law at UCLA.

Albert Giang (Caldwell, Leslie and Proctor)
Albert Giang is an attorney in private practice who has litigated numerous cases involving affirmative action in university admissions. He filed an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court on behalf of 70 Asian American organizations defending the use of affirmative action. He has been named one of the leading "under 40" Asian American attorneys in the country.

Dr. Kevin Newman (Windward School)
Kevin Newman is Assistant Head of School at Windward School. He has been involved in the college admissions process for over fifteen years. He earned an M.B.A. from UCLA’s Anderson School and an Educational Doctorate Degree from UCLA. His dissertation research focused on creating a positive, multi-cultural environment in independent schools.

National Center for the Preservation of Democracy
111 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles
(Across the Plaza from the Japanese American National Museum)

RSVP to cai@cai-la.org or call (213) 623-6003 ext. 10

Co-sponsored by Community Advocates, KPCC and the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy. Made possible by a generous grant from the Salvin Family Foundation.

Community Day of Remembrance

Pay-what-you-can!

GENERATIONS SPEAK OUT: IMPACTS OF E.O. 9066

The annual Day of Remembrance commemorates the signing of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which enabled the military to forcibly remove and incarcerate 120,000 Japanese American men, women and children. This devastating experience to the Issei and Nisei continues to impact our multigenerational community today.

This year's 72nd anniversary of DOR will feature stories reflecting the impacts of E.O. 9066 on various generations of Japanese Americans.

Collections Highlight

Contributing Level Members and above ($150 plus) are invited to join our new Curator of History Lily Anne Welty, Ph.D. for a talk regarding the Calvin and George Saito Collection. Artifacts and correspondences between the brothers, who were members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and their father will bring their story to life.

Japanese Tea Ceremony: Sado

Master Hamano from Urasenke and her “Hamano Shachu” group will perform the Japanese tea ceremony, sado, with authentic teawares, beautiful kimonos, and traditional furniture. Ceremony to be accompanied by an English guide explaining the subtleties of the performance.

Meet the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation leadership for a Town Hall, during which time Congresswoman Judy Chu, from California's 27th District, will give remarks and the Foundation will recognize Nancy Araki, JANM's recently retired Director of Community Affairs. Afterwards, join us for the premiere of the extended version of Witness: The Legacy of Heart Mountain by ABC Reporter David Ono and Producer Jeff MacIntyre. The film showing will be followed by a panel discussion with HMWF Chair Shirley Ann Higuchi, JANM CEO and President Dr. G.W. Kimura, Patti Hirahara, Toshi Ito, and Darrell Kunitomi.

Suggested donation for the film and reception is $15. RSVP to events@heartmountain.org.